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USMNT 2022 World Cup Qualifying Thread

Goal, 2-1 USA.

Lets see if Honduras keeps diving all over the place rolling around like babies now that they need a goal.

btw, FIRE Berhalter now. If anything is proof you are panicking and made bad choices, it’s having to make 3 halftime subs. What a moron
I only just now read this. Laughed out loud. Tell us what you really feel, @GreggK.
 
I only just now read this. Laughed out loud. Tell us what you really feel, @GreggK.
For as much heat Berhalter was under going into last night, he took home 2 titles this summer and has like 1 loss in the last year or so. He is taking on the youngest group and building some depth, but it's all for nothing if he doesn't qualify. The core of this team could be here for at lest 2 WC cycles, maybe 3. Last night his 4 best players weren't on the field when the US took over the game on the road....so now we need to see him match this in Austin next month against Jamaica. I'm heading to Austin in November, but man would I really love to sneak out for that Jamaica match on 10/7.
 
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I only just now read this. Laughed out loud. Tell us what you really feel, @GreggK.

I just have such a problem with the cronyism of USA soccer. Bringing in Bruce Arena last time around was such a joke. And of course, Bruce being Bruce, favored MLS players over European players. Or even worse, had fricken Demarcus Beasley on defense of all places. Beasley didn't even play professionally at that point. It was a joke.

And now we have Gregg Berhalter, whose brother is (actually WAS) and executive at USA soccer. Only forced out because he is a douche, but I digress, he lobbys for his brother to be in charge of the team.

And what do we get, someone who overthinks things and plays conservatively.

7, count them, 7 defenders in that game last night! Which means at least three were playing out of position. Why? Because he had a BRILLIANT idea. When instead, he could have kept it simple and played 443 like the team is used to playing. Its maddening! We deserve better but somehow, the idiots in charge get to skate by under the radar giving out money to their friends and cushy jobs.

Look no further than Mr. Chuck fat ass Blazer as an example of corruption in this federation.
 
For as much heat Berhalter was under going into last night, he took home 2 titles this summer and has like 1 loss in the last year or so. He is taking on the youngest group and building some depth, but it's all for nothing if he doesn't qualify. The core of this team could be here for at lest 2 WC cycles, maybe 3. Last night his 4 best players weren't on the field when the US took over the game on the road....so now we need to see him match this in Austin next month against Jamaica. I'm heading to Austin in November, but man would I really love to sneak out for that Jamaica match on 10/7.

meaningless titles in the end. Fun at the time but empty.

Bring back klinsmann
 
I'll see what he does and I sure as hell don't want Klinsmann. Beating Mexico twice in a month for 2 titles is never empty. It's just the modern fan syndrome of 48 hours and amnesia....happens in every sport.

What I mean is both of those competitions are pretty much meaningless in a year where the one thing that matters is qualifying for the world cup.
 
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Pepe Le Pew

ce09d1fad361e1ff476bbb6222a3d917.gif

Yeah, Pepe's been canceled.
 
Next up, USA vs. Jamaica, on Thursday, 10/7, 7:45 pm EDT, ESPN2

On offense, Pulisic and Reyna are out due to injuries. On defense, Brooks is out due to injuries. Weston McKennie should be back, after his suspension in September for breaking COVID-19 protocols.

Jamaica did rather poorly in the 3-game set of matches last month (got just 1 point), so they will have a lot of incentive to go all out in the match.

The Concacaf Standings can be found at:

The USMNT games in the 2nd round of Concacaf qualifying are:

vs. Jamaica, 10/7
vs. Panama, 10/10
vs. Costa Rica, 10/13
 
Next up, USA vs. Jamaica, on Thursday, 10/7, 7:45 pm EDT, ESPN2

On offense, Pulisic and Reyna are out due to injuries. On defense, Brooks is out due to injuries. Weston McKennie should be back, after his suspension in September for breaking COVID-19 protocols.

Jamaica did rather poorly in the 3-game set of matches last month (got just 1 point), so they will have a lot of incentive to go all out in the match.

The Concacaf Standings can be found at:

The USMNT games in the 2nd round of Concacaf qualifying are:

vs. Jamaica, 10/7
vs. Panama, 10/10
vs. Costa Rica, 10/13
I will be attending the match. I'm a bit disappointed Pulisic can't go, I was looking forward to seeing him in person.
 
I will be attending the match. I'm a bit disappointed Pulisic can't go, I was looking forward to seeing him in person.
Pulisic is the superior player, but I wonder if the team is actually better off with Brenden Aaronson playing (I'm assuming he would be the primary replacement option for Christian)
 
Pulisic is the superior player, but I wonder if the team is actually better off with Brenden Aaronson playing (I'm assuming he would be the primary replacement option for Christian)
I’d say no, since there is certainly room for both in the lineup. and even if they aren’t both starting, I love having Aaronson as the super-sub.
 
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Tough stretch to be without Brooks, Reyna, and Pulisic. Hopefully they can grab some points along the way.
 
Have to get at least six imo. Jamaica and Costa Rica are both big time messes right now. Fail to win those games and I will be concerned.
Have to get 3 at home for every match so hopefully that does occur. With the people missing I don't think any stretch will be easy...but it sure would be nice to see them score early and often in these home matches.
 
Have to get 3 at home for every match so hopefully that does occur. With the people missing I don't think any stretch will be easy...but it sure would be nice to see them score early and often in these home matches.
Absolutely. You know they’re going to have upwards of 60 percent of the ball in most if not all of these games. It’s just going to be a matter of whether or not they can break down a low block, which I assume they’ll see in all three of these games. That’s been a struggle under Gregg. Maybe Pepi is the No. 9 who unlocks things.
 
Have to get 3 at home for every match so hopefully that does occur. With the people missing I don't think any stretch will be easy...but it sure would be nice to see them score early and often in these home matches.
I see Canada and Costa Rica as our main rivals for the two remaining automatic qualifying spots - I assume Mexico qualifies with no issues. So the more we can bury Costa Rica early in the round robin the better.
 
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Zardes also has a knack for grabbing a key late goal in an ugly game.
For sure. I love him in road games where the pitches aren’t always great and you’ve gotta kinda just lump it into the box and hope for the best. Was listening to a preview podcast this week and apparently the pitch in Panama is abysmal. They tried to put down a new one and it didn’t go well. So that game should suit him.
 
Next up, USA vs. Jamaica, on Thursday, 10/7, 7:45 pm EDT, ESPN2

On offense, Pulisic and Reyna are out due to injuries. On defense, Brooks is out due to injuries. Weston McKennie should be back, after his suspension in September for breaking COVID-19 protocols.

Jamaica did rather poorly in the 3-game set of matches last month (got just 1 point), so they will have a lot of incentive to go all out in the match.

The Concacaf Standings can be found at:

The USMNT games in the 2nd round of Concacaf qualifying are:

vs. Jamaica, 10/7
vs. Panama, 10/10
vs. Costa Rica, 10/13

I've got tickets for Costa Rica game. Should be a great atmosphere in the new stadium.
 
 
That Pepi feature on ESPN is fantastic. Read that this morning.
 
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Reading one of the articles, Michail Antonio(Jamaica) decided to stay back in England with West Ham which makes the Jamaican squad a little weaker. Really need 3 points against them.

I have a big group of friends who are West Ham supporters, so I have seen a lot of Antonio. Dude is good and we are lucky he isn’t playing
 
I have a big group of friends who are West Ham supporters, so I have seen a lot of Antonio. Dude is good and we are lucky he isn’t playing
He’s really good…Nicholson is still dangerous on the counter, as I expect them to pack it in and make it an ugly game.
 
These refs are a farce

I can't speak to the 1st incident, as I missed the start of the game.

On the 2nd incident (where Aaronson was in, and got taken down), I agreed with the call. In real time, it appeared that the Jamaican defender got the ball before he got Aaronson, and that it was right outside the box. They aren't using VAR in these games, so the ref has to make a decision based on what he saw, as well as after receiving input from the ARs. On replay, it was clear that the foul took place just outside the box, so that part of the call was definitely correct. On replay, it's really close as to whether the defender got the ball 1st or got Aaronson 1st, so that's a call that could go either way, and the ref has to go with what they think they saw in the split-second the play took place. As for whether the foul warranted a yellow or a red, you can make a good case for both. (Forget about what the guy they brought in to evaluate the call said about that. He's looking at it in slow motion, on replay, which isn't how the ref sees the play. Plus, if the defender gets the ball 1st, then it's not a red.)

 
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